‘Avengers: Endgame’ – Timeline Explained

The video above contains SPOILERS for Avengers: Endgame. Like, big ones. Hulk-sized ones. They will smash you if you’re not too careful.

Every movie sets out its own rules for time travel, because time travel is not a thing that actually exists so you can pretty much define it however you want. Avengers: Endgame goes out of its way to say its time travel does not operate the way movies like Back to the Future do. Here, the past can’t be altered. You can’t make your dad cooler. You can’t almost sleep with your mom. (Thankfully.)

So how exactly does time travel work in the MCU? The video above by ScreenCrush’s Ryan Arey breaks down exactly what’s happening in Endgame, and what it means for the past, present, future, and alternate dimensions of Marvel movies. He even has some props to help visualize how the time travel works.

If you liked this video breaking down the complicated timeline and time travel theories of Avengers: Endgame, check out some more of our videos below, including our collection of more than 200 Easter eggs from the film, a video explaining the film’s quirky ending, and a video essay all about Captain Marvel’s cat pal Goose. Plus, there’s tons more over at ScreenCrush’s YouTube channel. Be sure to subscribe to catch all our future episodes. Avengers: Endgame is in theaters now.